Congrats (instead of "congratulations") OK?

I'm a British ex-pat, living in the US for forty years. The Americans have started saying "congrats" (for "congratulations") in informal contexts.

To me, this sounds antiquated and upper-class. "I say old chap, oodles of congrats."

Does it still sound that way in the UK, or does it sound normal?

Solution 1:

As a 'Brit' I hate the use of 'congrats', it sounds insincere, if you can't be bothered to offer 'Congratulations' I think don't bother saying anything. I thought it was coming from America, I papercraft and lots of the kits and sentiment stamps from America read 'Congrats' (and 'gray' instead of the English 'grey').